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Fate of the Ronin Armor
"Fate of the Ronin Armor" is the thirteenth episode of Ronin Warriors. It was originally broadcasted on syndicated television during the summer of 1995, and was eventually aired through reruns on the SciFi channel, as well as part of Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block. Summary Dais, the Warlord of Illusion lays a trap for Kento of Hardrock. Drawing Kento into a dark world, he begins to plant seeds of doubt in the Ronin's mind, ones that Kento just can't shake. Could it be that the Ronin Armors and their bearers are destined to serve the Dynasty? Synopsis Down in the subway below Toyama, Kento searches out the other four Ronin Warriors, Mia, Yuli, and White Blaze. He stops walking, positive that he's not going to find anything. And that's when he hears a strange sound off in the distance. Kento tenses just as Rowen rounds the corner. Turning quickly, Hardrock comes face-to-face with his friend and reacts in surprise. Rowen merely says that they need to keep searching, since the Dynasty's taken over the place. Kento is initally glad to see him, but then suspects that Rowen's appearance may be a trick. Rowen acknowledges that he might be, but at least he knows he's found the real Kento and cracks a joke about his eating habits. Kento is a little indignant about the joke, but Rowen urges him to keep moving. Back in Talpa's castle, the Dynasty Emperor tells three of his Dark Warlords that he's been waiting long enough for his plans to come to fruition and warns them not to make any more mistakes. He states that when the five Ronin Armors were together, it was difficult to take them down, but now that they're in Dynasty territory and alone, it will be easy to take the Ronins out. Kale questions this, as the armors just get stronger after each battle. Talpa responds that it's the Warlords' blunders that have caused that to happen. He tells the Warlords that the only way to defeat the Ronins is to use their own powers against them. Sekhmet doesn't understand, but instead of explaining, Talpa orders Dais to prepare for battle. Dais accepts, asking for the plan, but Talpa snaps at him to be patient. The Dynasty Emperor claims that it won't be long before the five Elemental Armors are his. Rowen and Kento continue down the corridor, much to Kento's dismay. He doesn't get why they can't just use their armors to break through to the surface. Rowen says that it's not a good idea to destroy more of the city, as it's against their purpose as Ronin Warriors, and that while they're in the portion of the city controlled by the Dynasty, it's better to wait and see what the enemy has planned first. Kento thinks it's a good idea to strike first, though Rowen continues to warn him towards caution. The argument is interrupted, however, as the two Ronins sense something on approach. Two subway cars come barrelling through from opposite directions. Kento wonders about the drivers, but Rowen knows the Dynasty's behind it. The two leap up just as the cars reach them, each landing on one of the train cars passing each other on the tracks. Kento calls out to Rowen, but is distracted when the roof is pierced by a couple sharp weapons, forcing him to shift himself out of the way. He falls back off the car, but manages to hang onto the side. Peering in through the window, Kento is surprised to see a horde of Dynasty soldiers riding the subway. They stab their spears at him, but he grabs onto one and swings back up to the roof of the car. Kento punches a hole in the metal large enough for him to fall through and takes a fighting stance. Both he and the soldiers attack simultaneously, Hardrock knocking them all down only to be faced by even more soldiers in the neighboring car. Suddenly, the horn blares as the subway car races towards a dead end. Knowing that he has to get off immediately, Kento leaps up over the Dynasty soldiers back towards the hole he created in the ceiling. He makes it back up to the roof just as the front car crashes into the rubble. Kento is sent flying off the car. He sees that he is heading towards a collision course with the debris and raises his arms to defend his head, however, he instead passes into a strange portal. Meanwhile, on the other side of the subway system, Rowen has managed to jump up off of his car. He dangles from the ceiling as he watches it zoom away, confused. He thinks at first that it was just a weak attempt before coming to an unsettling conclusion - Kento was the target of this trap. Strata drops back down to the tracks, running off back in the direction of his friend, hoping that Hardrock realizes what's going on. In a strange alternate world where the sky is red and the grass is dark, Kento lays face down and unconscious. He awakens and pushes himself up to his knees, questioning where he's ended up. He hears the sounds of metal clanging against metal, and glances around him to see two warriors fighting each other, clearly to the death. Kento stands, wondering if he's dreaming. The two warriors collapse, groaning in agony. Kento winces in dismay, demanding to know where he is. Talpa answers his call, referring to himself as Kento's "master." The Warrior of Earth angrily challenges the Dynasty Emperor to face him, along with his entire army. Talpa tells him to be quiet and presents him with a vision of the remains of a battlefield. From the rubble rises the four Dark Warlords. Kento prepares to face them all at once, but Talpa intervenes, claiming that he has no intentions of fighting and urging te Ronin to think about how the Nine Armors were created. Kento is instantly confused. Talpa explains that the armors were meant for the destruction of the human race and that the field Hardrock and the Warlords stand upon is littered with the bones of men brought down by the armors. He continues that the hearts of the warriors who bear these armors will become darker and more bloodthirsty with each new battle that arises. Kento says that he intends to use the Armor of Hardrock against Talpa, but the Emperor tells him that in doing so, he will be denying a part of himself, as his armor was made from the same source as the armors belonging to the Warlords. Kento is shocked to learn this, stating his disbelief as the Warlords vanish from sight. Talpa is pleased that he gets it, then goes on to say that the other four Ronin Armors also share the same fate as the Hardrock Armor, and as he speaks, the Armors of Wildfire, Halo, Strata, and Torrent appear. Kento takes a step back, refusing to listen to anything else Talpa has to say. The Emperor laughs at his defiance, stating that it is useless to try and stop the inevitable. Without warning, the Ronin Armors attack. Kento tries to call out to his friends to stop, but to no avail. With no option left, Kento unleashes his fists and knocks the four down. Thinking he's hurt his friend, Kento urges "Ryo" to get back up, but the only response is Dais' cackle. The Warlord of Illusion points out how Hardrock's anger fueled his power, making him lash out at his friends. Kento tries to deny it, so Dais encourages him to gaze upon the wounded Ronins. The illusion breaks and in the place of the Armor of Wildfire is now Dais. He reminds Kento of Talpa's words about the similarities between the Warlords' armors and the Ronins'. Kento states that he should have suspected this was a ruse all along, but Dais claims that his only interest was showing the Ronin the truth about his fate. As the other three armors disappear, Kento replies that the real Ryo would've never attacked him and that his armor grows stronger with every battle. Dais confirms that fact, saying that it's the evil in the armor's nature that allows it to do so. According to the Warlord, the Hardrock Armor is the most in tune with it's darker side than the other four and that it's something Kento can sense, which is why he will be the first to join the Dynasty. Kento continues to try and deny what Dais is telling him, but he's starting to waver. Dais, and now Talpa, who's reappeared, encourage Kento to give in to the bloodlust of the armor. Hardrock point blank refuses. Talpa states that it doesn't matter what Kento wants, as the armor will make the decision for him. With that, Dais is surrounded by a mysterious energy that blasts him halfway across the empty field. When Kento focuses on the area, he sees a large army has appeared. They charge towards him, an overwhelming and unstoppable horde. As the army passes right through him, Kento notes that he actually wants to fight them all. He's suddenly struck from behind as Dais reappears, demanding that he join them. Kento again turns him down, even as the Warlord continues to attack, demanding to see the true nature of the Armor of Hardrock. Kento finally gives in, summoning his full armor. Dais is thrilled to see it, but Kento's had enough lectures. The two clash, their weapons meeting each other blow for blow. Finally, Kento lands a hit, sending Dais flying into the air and crashing into the ground, lifting up a layer of dirt. Though he doesn't move, the Warlord seems unfazed, stating that he senses the Ronin's armor wants to keep fighting. He raises himself into the air, telling Kento to keep going. Kento insists that it's his free will that dictates when he will battle, not the armor. Dais doesn't seem to listen and launches another assault. Kento blocks every blow, even standing his ground as the Warlord appears to grow in size, due to his illusion power. But something strange is happening to the Armor of Hardrock, and Kento senses the change. It's enough to distract him and allow Dais to gain the upper hand, pinning him to the ground. Dais says that what they're both sensing is the true evil of the armor coming forth and wonders if the Ronin will give up now. But Kento has no plans of going down easy. He forces Dais off him and charges forward full force. He launches a brutal assault on the Warlord, who suddenly turns into Ryo. But Kento isn't fooled and continues attacking. "Ryo" raises his arms to defending himself, morphing into Sage. Still, that doesn't stop Hardrock from slamming him with his weapon. As "Sage" goes flying throug the air, he shifts into Cye just before crashing into a tree. Now Kento panics, thinking he really did hurt his friend. And then it's no longer Cye he hit, but Rowen, and "Strata" fires an arrow directly at Kento, though it misses. Dais wonders how Hardrock feels, having just been shot at by his friend, before shifting from Rowen back into himself. Kento declares once again that the armor isn't a force for evil. To finish the matter, he unleashes his special attack. The illusion breaks, and it's revealed that Kento's been fighting on the streets of Toyama this entire time. Kento grins at his victory, which Dais witnesses just before he disappears, taking it as proof that Kento's true nature will one day lead him to the Dynasty. The blast from Kento's attack nearly levels the street, attracting Rowen's attention from the next block. Kento, now back in his undergear, stands solemnly among the wreckage. Talpa speaks to him again, directing his attention to the destruction caused by the Armor of Hardrock and stating that it proves his point. Kento is stunned as Rowen at last finds him. The Warrior of Air asks if he caused all the damage to the area, and Kento confirms it, though his tone is one of anguish and that confuses Rowen. Talpa congratulates Dais on a job well done. Dais boasts that he was the best choice for this mission, and it pleased him to do it. But the Dynasty Emperor reveals that this was only phase one and that Anubis will be more than capable of handling the next part of the plan. In the city, Kento and Rowen move on and continue to look for the others. Continuity *The Ronins, Mia, and Yuli crossed into Dynasty territory during the episode "Assault on the Dynasty." *Kento and Rowen reunite after being separated from each other, the other three Ronins, and Mia and Yuli in the previous episode. *Dais reveals the original nature of the armors belonging to the Ronin Warriors, leaving Kento doubting himself. *"In the Sea of the Sky was the last time Anubis was seen, having been recalled by to the Dynasty by Talpa after his loyalty began to waver. Title This episode is the first to go into the backstory of the formation of the armors, and the title reflects the question posed before Kento by Dais. Are the five Ronin Armors, along with the five Ronin Warriors, fated to be claimed for the forces of evil? Cast ::: Rowen of the Strata / Sekhmet — Ward Perry Kento of Hardrock — Jason Gray-Stanford Talpa — Mina E. Mina Kale — Richard Newman Dais — Matt Smith Narrator — David Kaye Quotes Kento: "Hey, how do I know you're the real Rowen and not some Dynasty trick?" Rowen: "(chuckles) You don't, but I know that you're the real Kento. I could hear your stomach growling a mile away." Kento: "Huh?" Rowen: "I bet it could lead us to the nearest deli." Kento: "So I get a little hungry when I get lost." : — Rowen cracks a joke after meeting up with Kento. Talpa: "You should be able to handle them one by one." Kale: "But, Master, their armor gains more power each time we meet them." Talpa: "THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL A BAG OF HALF-WITTED, BLUNDERING FOOLS!!!" Warlords: "Yes, Master." Talpa: "I'm tired of seeing you get beaten by these children!" : — Talpa isn't too happy with his Warlords right now. "We were given the power to ''restore civilazation, not rip it apart!"'' : — Rowen lectures Kento on playing it safe. "Hard day at the office, boys?" : — Kento confronts the Dynasty soldiers on the so-called "Soldier Express." "Those trains were meant to separate me and Kento. And if nothing happened to me, that means they were after Kento." : — Rowen figures out Talpa's plan... a little too late. "I'm Kento, the Warrior of Strength!" : — Kento fights back. "Compared to the others, your armor is the most bloodthirsty of the Ronin Warriors. You feel it too, Kento of Hardrock, Warrior of Strength. You will be the first to turn to the dark side!" : — Dais tries to sway Kento. Cultural References *While passing through the portal to Dais' world of illusion, Kento says "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore." This quote comes from The Wizard of Oz. The original line was "Toto... I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," and it was spoken by Dorothy Gale, portrayed by Judy Garland. *This is the second episode where a Warlord refers to the "dark side," an obvious Star Wars reference. Goofs Animation Mistakes * When Rowen and Kento are first confronted by the runaway subway cars, there is a shot where Rowen's headband is colored yellow rather than dark blue. * When Kento is hanging onto the window of the subway car, his fingers are very clearly flesh colored when they should be white, due to the presence of his undergear. Dialogue Mistakes English Dub Mistakes Oops13rowenheadband.jpg Oops13hand.jpg Trivia *This is the first episode in which Matt Hill does not appear. See Also *The True Nature of the Armor Gear Category:Episodes Category:Ronin Warriors